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EU step closer to Dutch strategy on sustainable trade

News item | 08-12-2015 | 08:10

The EU is to step up its efforts to make trade more sustainable. At an
international conference organised by the Netherlands, agreements were made on
fleshing out a European agenda for responsible business conduct in global value
chains. ‘The products in our stores are often the result of an enormously
complex process,’ said foreign trade and development minister Lilianne Ploumen.
‘Our mobile phones, for instance, are made up of parts from more than 50
different countries. The EU is the world’s biggest market. Together, we have the
leverage to make all these value chains fairer and more sustainable. After all,
500 million Europeans demanding fair products make more noise than 17 million
Dutch consumers.’

The Netherlands sets an example in responsible business conduct (RBC) or
corporate social responsibility (CSR), with various branches of trade and
industry developing voluntary CSR agreements. Dutch companies and civil society
organisations have also been working with government to initiate dialogues on
fair gold and putting an end to land grabbing in developing countries. During
the Dutch EU Presidency, the minister will strive to get similar initiatives off
the ground in the rest of the EU. ‘A European strategy would benefit the
environment and the lives of millions of people in developing countries
enormously. The problem is that European policymakers, companies and civil
society organisations sometimes work along separate tracks. The Dutch consensus
model is an excellent example of how things can be done differently.’

The Netherlands kicked off its campaign for a European sustainability policy
today at the conference ‘EU and Global Value Chains’. The conference, at the EU
Presidency venue in Amsterdam, introduced 300 senior European policymakers to
the Dutch strategy on sustainable value chains – a strategy characterised by
voluntary agreements between companies and civil society organisations, as
alternatives to legislation. Ms Ploumen sees scope for major improvements in the
textiles, palm oil and gold industries, and in the agriculture and finance
sectors. Besides European commissioners Malmström (trade) conference
participants included German parliamentary state secretary Thomas Silberhorn
(economic cooperation and development), international NGOs, trade unions,
companies and EU policymakers.

The Sustainable Trade Initiative, a Dutch Foundation, and umbrella
organisations from eight European countries declared their commitment to 100%
sustainable palm oil by 2020. Denmark, Germany, United Kingdom, France and the
Netherlands supported this initiative and will endorse it at European level.
These five countries also agreed to work at EU level towards eliminating
deforestation, one of the problems as a result of palm oil production.

‘This is only the beginning. It proves that we can scale up our Dutch policy
on aid and trade to European level,’ the minister said. ‘Today, the EU affirmed
its commitment to more sustainable global value chains. It’s important now that
we maintain this momentum and achieve concrete results.’ Ms Ploumen will present
the conference outcomes at a combined meeting of European ministers for trade
and for development on 2 February 2016. The outcomes will receive further
follow-up during the entire Dutch EU presidency.